LEV II brings the advanced emission controls 

of passenger cars to light trucks and sport utility vehicles

near-zero evaporative emissions

advanced electronic engine management 

and on-board diagnostic systems more efficient catalysts

increased engine durability

Fact Sheet

LEV II - Amendments to Californias Low-Emission Vehicle

regulations

At its November 1998 meeting, the Air Resources Board (ARB) amended Californias Low-Emission

Vehicle (LEV) regulations. The new amendments, known as LEV II, will advance the states clean air goals

through improved emission reduction standards for automobiles.

The ARB first adopted LEV standards in 1990. These first LEV standards run from 1994 through 2003.

LEV II regulations, running from 2004 through 2010, represent continuing progress in emission reductions.

As the states passenger vehicle fleet continues to grow and more sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks

are used as passenger cars rather than work vehicles, the new, more stringent LEV II standards are

necessary for California to meet federally-mandated clean air goals outlined in the 1994 State

Implementation Plan (SIP).

The SIP is the states road map to attain federal clean air standards by 2010 and includes among its

measures strategies to further reduce air pollution from automobiles and other mobile sources. When LEV

II is fully implemented in 2010, it is estimated that smog-forming emissions in the Los Angeles area will be

reduced by 57 tons per day, while the statewide reduction will be 155 tons per day.

The LEV II amendments

The LEV II amendments affect passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles.

The main elements are:

 Extension of passenger car emission standards to

heavier sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks

(with gross vehicle weight up to 8,500 pounds)

which formerly had been regulated under lessstringent emission standards;

  Extension and tightening of the fleet average

emission standards during 2004-2010 (a fleet

includes all new vehicles from an automaker);

  Creation of a new super-ultra low emission

vehicle (SULEV) category for light-duty vehicles (SULEVs will only emit a single pound of

hydrocarbons during 100,000 miles of driving-about the same as spilling a pint of gasoline);

  Significantly lower oxides of nitrogen emission standards for the low and ultra-low emission vehicle

categories, a reduction of 75% from the current LEV standards;

  Increased emission control durability standards from 100,000 miles to 120,000 miles for passenger cars

and light trucks;

  Further reduction of evaporative emissions;

  Creation of partial zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) credits for vehicles that achieve near zero emissions. The

credits would include full ZEV credit for a stored hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, 0.7 credit for

methanol reformer fuel cell vehicles, 0.4 credit for a compressed natural gas SULEV and 0.2 for a

gasoline fueled SULEV;
Expanded in-use compliance testing

The certification and in-use compliance requirements for motor vehicles will be streamlined under a

program known as the Compliance Assurance Program 2000 (CAP 2000). This will reduce manufacturer

and government certification testing and paperwork before vehicles are sold and increase in-use compliance

testing. The result will be greater assurance that vehicles are actually complying with emission standards

once they have left the showroom and are being driven by the public.

New, cleaner standards for sport utility vehicles,

pickups and minivans

The expansion of passenger car emission standards to vehicles up to

8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW) means that about 90

percent of sport utility vehicles and most large pickup trucks will be

included in the passenger car class with more stringent emission

standards. Even for the new medium duty class (8,501-14,000

pounds GVW) of larger sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and vans,

emission standards will be nearly as stringent as passenger car

standards, though some adjustment will be made for these vehicles

heavier weight.

Fast facts

 Autos and light trucks account for about 40 percent of Californias

air pollution. Sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and minivans

account for nearly 50 percent of all new vehicles sold today.

 The medium-duty vehicles in this group put out 50 to 150 percent more smog-forming pollution than

the typical passenger car.

For more information

Please contact the ARBs Public Information Office at (916) 322-2990, or toll-free (800) 242-4450 (USA

only), or (800) END-SMOG (California only) to leave a voice message requesting information be mailed to

you.

You may obtain this document in an alternative format by contacting the ARBs ADA Coordinator at

(916) 322-4505 (voice), (916) 324-9531 (TDD, Sacramento area only), or (800) 700-8326 (TDD, outside the

Sacramento area).

Air Resources Board 2020 L Street, P.O. Box 2815 Sacramento, CA 95812 www.arb.ca.gov (2/99)

  Changes in how the smog index is calculated;

  Amendments to the zero-emission and hybrid electric vehicle test procedures; and

  Removal of a less stringent emission standard that would have resulted in increased sales of new diesel

cars, pickups, and SUVs.

How much smog forming pollution

 does the average new car make?

1965 1998-LEV I 2010-LEV II

1965 1998-LEV I 2010-LEV II

lbs per 100K miles

A new 1965 car produced about a ton of

smog-forming hydrocarbons during 

100,000 miles of driving. California's

low-emission standards have cut that to

around 50 pounds for the average 1998 car.

LEV II would further reduce emissions from

the average new 2010 car to approximately

10 pounds.